Just for Pretty

This peony plant came from a friend whose garden doesn't get enough sun for the peony to bloom. He had wanted to grow peonies because they are his mother's favorite flower.
It bloomed two days before Mother's Day, and I had him over to take a look at it.
It had two of these outrageous blossoms.

Berry, Berry, Seed

The hot days have started becoming the norm and the garden is getting nice and full of plants, insects, flowers, and fruit.

Gold Raspberries
These Fall Gold raspberries have been fruiting for a week and they are earlier than the red raspberries, which are just starting to ripen today.

Blueberries
Many of the blueberry plants are fruiting, having started a week, or so, ago.
Each day we get more ripe berries.

Peanut
This is a peanut plant, just a week old. I planted Tennessee Reds and Virginia Jumbos. Peanuts need a long, hot growing season, which we have here in Chico, California. Peanuts are legumes and will create pegs that the plant thrusts into the soil toward the end of the growing season.

Feijoa in bloom - Edible flowers

Feijoa sellowiana in bloom. This is the first feijoa I planted in the front yard. Four other followed with the expansion of the swale system. This plant only had two blossoms last year. Now it is covered in blossoms and flower buds. The outer petals of the flowers are sweet and slightly fleshy. I wonder if any fruit will form.

Ginkgo - update

The ginkgo tree has fully leafed out and is sending up lovely new growth. The leaves toward the top of the tree are very large and split rather deeply.

Useful Border - update

Our first 100+ degree Fahrenheit day of the year was today. The useful border I wrote about a back in March is now looking a little fuller. The leeks have sent up their flower heads, one of them taller than I (170 cm) and will start blooming soon. The hollyhocks have just started to bloom, attracting carpenter bees, among other pollinators. The English lavender is looking perfect, while the french lavender appears a little unruly.

The Importance of Observation

It is important to have a nice shady spot from which to observe the garden progress, or lack thereof.
The hammock (an essential tool for Permaculture) is sited under a canopy of American persimmon (the multi-stemmed tree in the photo), almond, and oak trees. A very old grapevine climbs these trees and makes a lovely, cool, and shaded habitat for various animals in the garden.
Birds eat many of the small, dark grapes in the late summer, and there are plenty left for putting up as grape juice.